Sides for Ham

Whether at Easter or Thanksgiving, ham takes center stage at holiday tables. But don't spend all of your time on the main dish and forget about the accompanying sides. These veggie- or grain-based side dishes make for wonderful pairs to ham, no matter the holiday. Springtime sides like Orzo and Herb Pilaf or Beet and Pea Salad round out any Easter meal. Fall flavors shine through dishes like Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad and Sweet Potato Stacks to create an inspired Thanksgiving dinner. Click through our collection to find side dishes for ham your whole guest list will love.

Whether at Easter or Thanksgiving, ham takes center stage at holiday tables. But don't spend all of your time on the main dish and forget about the accompanying sides. These veggie- or grain-based side dishes make for wonderful pairs to ham, no matter the holiday. Springtime sides like Orzo and Herb Pilaf or Beet and Pea Salad round out any Easter meal. Fall flavors shine through dishes like Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad and Sweet Potato Stacks to create an inspired Thanksgiving dinner. Click through our collection to find side dishes for ham your whole guest list will love.

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March 17, 2017

1 of 13Photo: Jennifer Causey

Parmesan Carrots with Lemon-Parsley Dressing

Steaming and sautéing the carrots in the same pan is the time-saving trick to making them tender and beautifully glazed.

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

Chef Jonathan Waxman taught Cooking Light Editor Hunter Lewis how to make this fall salad many years ago. Riff with the ingredients to find the flavor balance you prefer. With a zing of fresh citrus to cut through the acidity, this crunchy winter salad is the perfect light addition to your holiday spread.

Savory Sweet Potato Mash

Get your daily dose of vitamin A with this nutritious side. In addition to providing you with 400% of your daily vitamin A requirement, you'll receive a boost of vitamin C and fiber. So grab your thyme, butter, milk, salt, and pepper, and start mashing.

Sautéed Green Beans with Miso Butter

Buttered Beet and Carrot Sauté

If you love the sweet, earthy flavor of beets but think you don't have time to cook them on a weeknight, you'll appreciate this fast microwave method. Wrapping peeled beet wedges in parchment paper allows them to steam to tender perfection in less than half the time it would take to roast them.

Baby Carrots with Herb Dressing and Olives

Look for baby carrots with some of the green tops attached; reserve and chop for tossing with the steamed carrots. Carrots should be about the width of your thumb; halve larger ones so they cook evenly. Steaming is gentler than boiling and faster than roasting. And, because the carrots are less caramelized, the fresh herbs stand out more.

Beet, Farro, and Watercress Salad with Fig Vinaigrette

This salad is simply chock-full of all kinds of good stuff–sweet, tender beets; the crisp snap of zucchini; fennel's anise crunch; and chewy-tender farro. You can make it up to two days ahead; just leave out the watercress until shortly before serving.

Sweet Potato Stacks with Sage Browned Butter

A dose of salty, nutty Parmesan balances the flavor in these adorable, delicious stacks. Get the kids to help by having them stack the slices and cheese in muffin cups as you follow behind with the browned butter. Use small potatoes so the slices will fit into the muffin cups. Make sure to slice the potatoes on the thin side, about 1⁄4-inch thick, so they’ll cook through (insert a toothpick in the center of each stack to test for doneness). You can also alternate with slices of baking potato or parsnip for pretty white and orange layers.